Effect of a specific cysteinyl leukotriene-receptor 1-antagonist (montelukast) on the transmigration of eosinophils across human umbilical vein endothelial cells

BACKGROUND: Leukotrienes have been implicated in the selective infiltration of eosinophils into the bronchial mucosa in asthma. OBJECTIVE: We studied whether eosinophil transmigration through cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) can be blocked by a specific cysteinyl LT1-receptor-antagonist. METHODS: Unstimulated and stimulated eosinophils from patients with asthma and normal controls were subjected to confluent human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) monolayers separating the upper and lower chamber of Transwell culture plates. Unstimulated eosinophils or cells pre-incubated in the presence of the eosinophil activating cytokines GM-CSF or IL-13 were placed in the upper chambers while PAF, a potent chemoattractant factor for eosinophils, was added to the lower chamber. Migration of eosinophils was quantified by a beta-glucuronidase assay. RESULTS: The assumption that eosinophils express CysLT1 (cysteinyl-leukotriene 1)-receptors was based on our demonstration of mRNA-expression for the CysLT-1-receptor by polymerase chain reaction on purified eosinophils. The chemotactic response to PAF was significantly reduced when eosinophils were pre-incubated with montelukast for 15 min. When eosinophils were pre-incubated with GM-CSF and/or IL-13, the migratory response to PAF was also significantly reduced by montelukast. CONCLUSION: From these data we conclude that the specific cysteinyl LT1-receptor antagonist montelukast can inhibit PAF-induced eosinophil transmigration through cultured HUVEC monolayers.     

用小双链RNA抑制转化入HUVEC中绿色荧光蛋白基因的表达

目的：建立稳定表达绿色荧光蛋白(GFP)的人脐静脉血管内皮细胞（HUVECs），研究小干扰RNA(siRNA)对HUVECs中GFP表达的抑制作用。 方法： 用lipofectamine2000将编码GFP的质粒pN3-EGFP转入HUVECs中。用G418筛选并维持已转化pN3-EGFP的HUVEC(HUVEC-GFP)。利用T7 RNA转录试剂盒，制备可抑制GFP基因表达的siRNA（GFPsiRNA）和无关对照的RNA（control siRNA）。用oligofectamine将siRNA转入HUVEC-GFP中。继续培养48 h后，检测HUVEC-GFP中GFP蛋白和mRNA表达水平。 结果： 用G418筛选获得了HUVEC-GFP细胞株，可以观察到GFP的稳定表达。HUVEC-GFP转化siRNA后48 h，GFP的荧光强度明显下降，而对照组的荧光强度无明显下降。半定量RT-PCR检测显示，GFPsiRNA对GFP mRNA表达有较强的抑制作用，抑制率达40%，而control siRNA对GFP mRNA表达水平无明显的抑制作用。 结论： 利用体外转录合成的siRNA能有效地抑制HUVECs中GFP的表达。     

Human mast cell tryptase stimulates the release of an IL-8-dependent neutrophil chemotactic activity from human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC)

Tryptase, the major product of human mast cell activation, is a potent stimulus of vascular leakage and neutrophil accumulation in vivo in animal studies, but the mechanisms of action remain unclear. Using HUVEC cultures we have sought to investigate the potential of tryptase to alter monolayer permeability or induce the release of neutrophil chemotactic activity. Tryptase (1-100 mU/ml) failed to alter the permeability of endothelial cell monolayers as assessed by albumin flux over 1 h. However, supernatants from endothelial cells treated with tryptase (1-50 mU/ml) for a 24-h period induced neutrophil migration across Transwell filters, with maximal migration observed at 10 mU/ml tryptase. Pretreatment of tryptase with the protease inhibitor leupeptin abolished the chemotactic activity, indicating a dependence on the catalytic site. Moreover, this effect was abolished by addition of an IL-8 neutralizing antibody, suggesting that IL-8 release makes an important contribution to the chemotactic activity. The interaction of mast cell tryptase with endothelial cells could be important in stimulating the ingress of neutrophils following mast cell activation in inflammatory disease.     

C1q-bearing immune complexes induce IL-8 secretion in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) through protein tyrosine kinase- and mitogen-activated protein kinase-dependent mechanisms: evidence that the 126 kD phagocytic C1q receptor mediates immune complex activation of HUVEC

Endothelial cells play a pivotal role in the initiation and perpetuation of inflammation. C1q, the first component of the classical pathway of complement, is a potent stimulus leading to endothelial cell activation and cytokine production. The specific cellular mechanisms through which endothelial cells are stimulated by C1q are not known. We stimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) with either monomeric C1q or C1q-bearing immune complexes (C1q-IC) in the presence or absence of inhibitors of protein tyrosine kinases (PTK) or mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK). C1q-IC, but not monomeric C1q, induced IL-8 production in dose- and time-dependent fashion. R3, a cross-linking monoclonal IgM antibody against the 126 kD phagocytic C1q receptor (C1qR), also stimulated IL-8 production. IL-8 mRNA accumulation was detected by Northern blot analysis within 2 h of stimulation by the immune complexes and was enhanced by the addition of cycloheximide. Secretion of IL-8 by C1q-IC stimulated HUVEC was completely blocked by the PTK inhibitor, genistein or the MAPK inhibitor, UO126. These experiments demonstrate that C1q-IC-induced production of IL-8 in HUVEC is dependent upon the activation of PTK and MAPK. These findings also support a role for the phagocytic C1qR as an important activator of HUVEC by immune complexes.     

血管紧张素-(1-7)对血管紧张素Ⅱ诱导的脐静脉内皮细胞MCP-1和ICAM-1表达的影响

目的： 研究血管紧张素-(1-7)［Ang-(1-7)］对血管紧张素Ⅱ（AngⅡ）诱导的脐静脉内皮细胞（HUVEC）单核细胞趋化蛋白-1（MCP-1）和细胞间黏附分子-1（ICAM-1）的影响,阐明Ang-(1-7)对AngⅡ在炎症方面的拮抗作用。方法: 体外培养HUVEC,随机分为：对照组;AngⅡ组;Ang-(1-7)组;AngⅡ+Ang-(1-7)组;AngⅡ+ Ang-(1-7) + Ang-(1-7)受体阻断剂A-779组。以ELISA法和半定量RT-PCR法从蛋白和mRNA水平检测MCP-1和ICAM-1的表达情况。结果: 与对照组比,AngⅡ（100 nmol/L）使MCP-1和ICAM-1的蛋白和mRNA表达明显增加（P<0.05）;Ang-(1-7)（1 000 nmol/L）使MCP-1和ICAM-1的蛋白和mRNA表达降低（P<0.05）;混合刺激组中,与AngⅡ组比较,Ang-(1-7) （10 nmol/L、100 nmol/L、1 000 nmol/L、10 000 nmol/L）呈剂量依赖性地抑制AngⅡ诱导的HUVEC MCP-1、ICAM-1蛋白和mRNA的表达（P<0.05）,Ang-(1-7) 浓度为1 000 nmol/L时,虽然蛋白和mRNA表达仍高于对照组,但无显著差异（P>0.05）;加入 A-779 组与AngⅡ组比较无显著差异（P>0.05）。结论: Ang-(1-7) 通过其特异性受体MAS拮抗AngⅡ诱导的HUVEC MCP-1和ICAM-1的表达,并呈浓度依赖性。